>> Comics - Flowers in the Spring 20 (END) - May 2nd, 2012, 11:08 pm

Author Comments

This comic's had a few paths it goes down in my head. At first, it was going to be a longer comic that had about eight chapters (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring II, Summer II, Autumn II, Winter II). Jax and Kumori were consistent elements, but Jax would have been there from the start and Kumori would only show up in Autumn II, despite hints of her presence there. There would also be some cameos, since instead of being in a coma, Shard would be in a mental hospital, and what she was seeing outside would affect her mindscape. At the end, the revelation would have driven her mad and instead of her closing her eyes like here, she'd have just kind of gone berserk on her surroundings and would have had to be restrained.

After some deliberation, the comic's drafts became shorter and shorter until it became what it is now. Answering things in A Question of Character with F. Shard helped me determine the nature of the events that caused her to become the way she is, since that was one of the things I was never quite sure about. I knew it had to do with people close to her dying or being lost forever, since that was the only thing that'd be able to send her into a shock as bad as this - after all, Shard has a crippling fear of being alone. While, in regular canon, she starts to conquer that fear, having it happen during the events of {MUTE} in this alternate canon was enough to drive her over the edge, since she doesn't know how to deal with it in that time area.

I'm willing to answer any questions you've got in regards to this short story now. And as far as what's next? Well, I'm going to need some input on that. Why? You'll see... ah, let's say Friday morning? That sounds like enough time to let you deliberate over this.

Reminds me a bit of some horror games that play around with your mind, like Rule of Rose and Cryostasis. Also reminds me a bit of The Lady in Black with the ending. Why doesn't everyone have stories that mind screw you like a horror game but aren't as gory or scary?

In any case, why is Shard wearing the white dress? It's not exectly something you'd expect from some one in the hospitle.